Self-service machine



' 1,629,536 May 4 1927' J. RIIKONEN SELF smvxcs mcmns Filed Oct. "1, 1.925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ojohn RiiKone n 1 2 May 9 7 J. :RIIKONEN SELF SERVICE MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1925' Patented May 24, 1927.

un reo STATES PATENT, OFFICE. g,

JOHN RIIKONEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SELF-SERVICE MACHINE.

Application filed October 1,1925. Serial No. 59,908.

cessively upon the insertion of coins of a proper denomination, while the remainder 10 of the articles are retalned within the ma- .chine and are positively guarded against improper removal by hand or implement.

Another object is to provide a self-service machine wherein a coin operable latch is entirely free from the influence of springs, and

will open only upon insertion of a coin of the proper denomination. v

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein, and disclosed 20 in the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a self-service machine of my invention, parts being broken away and showing a discharge mechanism in an operative-position and a second discharge mechanism in an inoperativep'osition.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a trap door forming a detail of the device of my invention. 1

Fig. 3 is perspective view of a clamp plate forming a detail of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental rear elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a springholder plate forming a detail of this invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the structure shown at the right hand side of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an elevat-ional view of a detailed part shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of another part of said device shown in Fig. '6.

Fig. 10 is a plan View of the part shown in Fig. 9.

The self-service machine of my invention has a base structure preferably made of sheet metal and serves as a frame work upon 3 which the operating mechanism and the enclosure structures are mounted. The front, top and side portions of the enclosing structure may be formed of plate glass, in Order to render visible the vendable articles contained therein. Within the casing are disposed a plurality'of ways within which vendablc articles, such as packages of con fections and the like may be placed. At the base of each of the ways is provided a trap door or discharge plate operable by a suitable finger-piece, which is retained in a locked position and is releasable upon insertion of a coin of a given denomination.

The base is provided in its forward wall with an opening 16 through which articles 17 discharge from the ways may be withdrawn. The base 15 is provided with a pair of spaced horizontal flanges 18 and 19 having slots 20 and 21, respectively. The slots 20 in flange 18 and the slots 21 in the flange 19 are disposed in staggeredrelation and serve to retain and guide reciprocating finger-pieces or keys 22 for actuating trap doors 23 and clamp plates 24, shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The flanges 18 and 19 form integral arms of a forward longitudinal body member 150 of the base 15. This member 150 is U-shaped in cross-section and its bottom 26 is provided with a series of spaced openings 27 and spaced strips 28 (see Fig. 1). At the rearof the base (see Fig. 4) is an invertedU-shaped member 29 having clepending flanges or arms 30 and 31. The flange 30 carries a series of spaced perforate depending lugs 32, which are aligned with the strips 28 of the forward body member 150. The strips 28 are provided with perforations 33 aligned with perforations 34 in lugs 32 for receiving rods 35, which serve as pivotal mountings for trap doors 23 and clamp plates 24.

Cross members 36 extend in spaced rela-.

tion'between the front and rear members 150 and 29 andare secured thereto by any suitable means, such as by lugs extending through suitable holes in the front and rear body members.

The spaces between members 36 provide a series of ways 37 in which vendable articles, such as 17,1nay'be disposed in stacks or columns. Square bars 38 are slotted as at 39 to seat and to clamp upon cross members 36. By disposing the bars 38 diagonally upon the cross members (see Fig. 1) the corners 40 of said bars are disposed towar @11 Way Lil 37 so that articles such as 17 contact the bars only on edges 50, thereby eliminating any possible binding of such articles upon the sides of the ways. Pairs of the bars 38 are mounted adjacent the front and rear ends of cross members 36 and in this way the contents of the sclf-service machine are not hidden from View. Plplatc ll is providcd with perforations 42, through which suitable screws may be inserted and passed into the ends of the bars38 for securingnt-heupper ends of said bars. A suitable cover plate {i l ,may be mounted over plate-d1 for concealing screws l3. 1? he plates 41 and let are provided with enlarged openingstnot shown), so as to render the interior of the machine visible from the top. A plate of glass forms a cover for the; top of the machine and is retained in suitable grooves. End plates 46, also, of plate glass, form closures for the opposite sides of the series of ways 37. A glass front closure plate 417 is slidably mounted behind flanges 43 of top plate 4.4 at the top of the machineand in a suitable way in the top forward edge of the base. A suitable locking means operable from the inside of the machine serves to retain the slidable front plate 47 in position. At the rear of the machine is provided a series of coin slots l9 formed by a pair of spaced metalplates 50- and 51. Suitable metalcover plates may be employed to render. the various mechanisms and parts inaccessible except to one provided with he for opening and removing one of said plates. The discharge and latching mechanisms are providedat the base of each of the ways 37 between the cross members 36. These mechanisms being similar, a description ofrone will sullice for all. By referring to Figs. 1 and 4 it will be noted that one of the rods 35 extends across the frame substantially beneath each of the cross members 36.

Viewing the device from the front, as in F l, a trap door 23 is pivotally mounted at the right hand side of each of the ways 37, forming a closure therefor. A clamping plate disposed in a. given way is mounted upon the same rod 35 with the trap door for the way adjacent. It will be understood of course, that the clamping plate at the extreme left hand will-be mounted alone upon one of the rods 35, and that a trap door the extreme right of the series will be mounted alone upon one of the rods 35. The trap door 23 comprises an integral stamping, having a floor member 52 and an angulaiuy disposed flange Perforate lugs 54 and 55 are struck from the forward and rear ends of the trap door, respectively; the perforations 56 serve to receive the rods 35, providing the pivotal mounting of this structure. At the forward end of the trap door 23 is a cam 57 provided with a sub. stantially arcuate cam face 58. At the opposite end of the member 23 extends an arm 59 having a substantially rectangular perforation 6O thereiinand a notch 61 in alignment with the perforation 60. The clamping plate 24 comprises a crossbar 25 and end flanges 62 and 63; the flanges carry aligned perforations G l, through which the rods 35 may pass. The edge of the flange 63 is provided with a cam face 65, against which the edge'66of trap door 23 may ride, so that movement of the trap door 23 will effect movement of the clamp plate 2e. hen mounted in a machine the edge 66 of trap door-23 normally seats in notch 67 of the flange 63 ofclamp plate 24, as shown in Fig. at and as will be more fully, described later on. The shoulder 670 engages the top of the trap, door 23 so that the clamp plate will be returned to its normal position when the trap door moves upwardly. A shoulder 650 at the end of cam face 65 precludes movement of the trapdoor-be yo'nd the iuiiuei'ice of the clamp plate 24, so that it is impossible to disassociate the trap door and clamp plate. The trap door 23 is spring urgedto a normally closed position, at which time the floor member 52 of the trap door assumes a horizontal position, closing the bottom of the way 37. between a pair of cross members 36 (see the disclosure at the right hand side of Fig. 1). When in this position the edge 66 of the trap door is seated in the notch 67 of theclamp plate and retains the clamping plate in an inoperative position substantially against the side of the way 37. When the trap door is depresled or moved about its pivotal mounting fordischarging articles from the way, the edge 66will abut the canr65 of the'clan'iping plate and press it downwardly so that the V clamp bar 25 of the clamp plate 24 will be urged horizontally into the way to engage one of the articles 17 and to clamp it between this and the side of the cross member 36, therebv supporting said article and the re mai-noer of the column of articles resting upon it. The distance between the perforation 64: and the bars 25 will be governed by the size of the articles to be dispensed from the column. Bar 25 may be spaced so that it will engage an article n xt above the bottom one of the COlL111111, S0 that upon til ing the floor 52 of trap door 23 downwardly the clamping plate. will engage the articleor package above the one which rests upon the floor 52, while the tilting of the trap door will permit the article or package resting thereon to drop to the bottom of the machine, so that it maybe removed through the opening 16. hen the floor 52 of the trap door is in the last mentioned position flange 53 will be disposed to substantially close the wav beneath the column of arti cles so that it will be impossible to gain access to the remainder of the column of articles either with thefingers or with an implement.

.The'means for depressing the trap door comprises the finger-pieces or keys 22, which are provided with a shoulder 68, the lower face'ot which engages the cam face 58 of the cam 57 on the trap doors 23. Thus it will be observed that by depressing the key-22 a trap door23 will be moved about its piv otal mounting and clamping plate 24, controlled by the trap doorwill be moved to an operative position.

As heretofore stated, the trap doors are normally spring urged to a closed position. Springholder plates 69, as shown in Fig. 5, are provided for each trap door mechanism. The plate 69 has a slot 70, which serves to divide the plate 69 into a pair of legs 71 and 72. Coil spring 73 is adapted to be passed about leg 71 with its one end in abutment with a slotted portion 74 of the base 15' and its opposite end engaging shoulders 7 5 and 7 6 of the plate. The ends of legs 71 and 72 extend through slots in the portion 74 of the base so that the springholder plate 69 is yieldingly retained in a raised position. A hook portion 77 of the springholder plate 69 is adapted to pass through the rectangular perforation 60 in the arm 59 on trap door 23 so that the trap door is always connected with springholder plate 69 and therefore always under the influence of the spring 78. The notch 61 in the arm 59 receives the shoulder 7 8 adjacent to hook 77 of springholder plate 69.

A simple and positive coin controlled latching mechanism is provided at the rear oi the base and is in operative relation with the arm 59 of the trap door mechanism. One of these latching mechanisms is mounted intermediate adjacent rods lhe inverted ll-shaped member 29 provides a mounting means for the latch mechanism this mounting being conveniently provided by utilizing pertoratelugs 7 9 on the flanges 31. The latch mechanism comprisesv two members 80 and 81 shown in enlarged detail in Figs, 7 and 8 and 9 and 10, respectively. The latch member .80 is actuated by a coin dropped into one of the coin slots 49. Latch member 80 is provided with an L-shaped lug 82 one side 83, of which lies parallel with the top portion of the latch member 80 and is adapted to receive a suitable pivotal pin 86, upon which said. member may freely swing. A linger 87 extends from the body of the latch member 80 and is adapted to be contacted by a coin dropped into a coin slot 4-9 for moving the member 80 aboutits pivotal mounting. The interior of the body or the latch member 80 is cut away to provide an elongated opening 88 bounded along its one-side by shoulders 89 and 90 and a cam. face 91. When the latch member 80 is suspended from pin 86 the end of. arm

59 projeetsthiough opening-88. The center of gravity of latch member 80 is such as to normally dispose the shoulders beneath the edge 92 ot' the arm 59. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the shoulder 89 of latch member SOwill normally look the arm 59 and consequently the trap door against movement.

so that when a coin of a proper size passes through the slot the edges of said'coin will contact the side of the rod 35 and the finger 87, wingin the latch 80 about its pivotal mounting and thus moving the shoulders 89 and 90 outwardly so that the arm 59 may be 'moved downwardly through an arc to engage the camface 91. If a coin be smaller than the size required it may contact the finger 87, but will pass directly through the space between the rod and finger without swinging the latch member'clear of shoulder 90; a coin ot' the proper size will remain lodged against the finger and the end of the rod 35 so that when a key 22 at the front of the device is depressed the end of the arm will be moved downwardly to contact the cam face 91. As the key is further depressed the arm 59 will move the latch member 80 a little farther about its pivotal mounting, thus permitting the coin to drop into a suitable coin receptacle and at the same time causing the trap door to assume the position shown at thelett hand side of Fig. 1 for discharging the article 1? resting upon the floor member 01 the trap door. The secondlatch member 81 is a sai ety device provided to prevent operation of the discharge mechanisin'by tilting the entire machine and thus causing the member 80 to swing outwardly under the influence of gravity. The latch member 81 is likewise provided with an L-shaped member 92, having aligned perforations 93 therein; whereby it may be positioned between the body of the latch 80 and the side 83 thereof and suspended from the pin 86. Member 81 is provided with an opening 94; bounded at its one side by shoulders 95 and 96 similar toshoulders 89 and 90 of the latch member 80, the. members 80 and 81 being freely and independently mounted upon the pin 86. It will be apparent that it the machine be tilted, both of said members will swing in a'given direction under the influence of gravity so that if shoulders 89 and 90 be swung clear of the arm 59 the shoulders 95 and 96 will assume position beneath said arm. This makes it impossible to depress the keys 22 without inserting acoin of the proper size. Fig. 6 shows the relative positions of members 80 and 81 when a coin of the proper size has been dropped into a coin slot and before the key 22 has been depressed. t will be apparent from this view that the shoulders 89 and 90 of the latch member 80 are held clear of the path of the linger by the coin 97, while the shoulders 95 and 96 are held clear of the path of the arm 5-9 solely through the influence of gravity. It will be noted that the elongated portions 98 and 99 of the openings in members 80 and 81 are now in substantially iosition, so that the key may i A ed, moving the trap door 23 about pivotal mounting and at the same time permitting the arm 59 to move the member 99 o cie tl v' to cause the coin to drop between the finger and the rod 35. The space behind spr' ghola er plates 69 is suitably boxed to pro\ do coin recep tacle and this. to ether h the mechanism disclosed in Fig. i are protected by any suitable closing plate provided wixh any approved locking ineans. The s in older plates 69 are positioned c o y one to the other across the device and in! a substantial barrier which precludes the insertion of an implement for the purpose of moving a latch member 80 without the proper insertion of a coin. In order to complete this barrier, the endmost springholder plate 69 is provided with an additional projection (590.

The operation of the device is as follows:

VVh'en it is desired to fill the device vendable articles, the retaining means (not shown) for locking the front glass plate 47 in position is released, whereupon said plate may be pulled out of its ways, so that the interior of the ways 37 is accessible from the front of the machine. Packages of confections and the like may then be placed in each of the ways 37 whereupon the front plate at? is again moved into place, closing the ways 37. The (elf-service machine is now ready for operation. When it is desired to remove any of the vendable articles from a given way, a coin of the proper denomination is placed in one of the coin slots 49 corresponding to the desired column of articles 17. The coin drops through the coin slot and as'umes the position shown in dashed lines in Fig. 6. In this position the latch member 80 has been swung outwardly so as to carry shoulders 89 and 90 clear of the arm 59 of the trap doorimechanism. The operator then depre ses a key 22, whereupon the arm 59 moves downwardly into the registering slots 98 and 99 and the floor 52 of the trap door tilts downwardly. The edge 66 of the floor 52 moves from the notch 67 of the clamp plate 24 and presses upon the cam face thereof, thus causing the clamp plate to move forward and to press against the vendable article 17 above the lowermost one of the column, thus all of the vendable articles save the lowermost one are retained against downward movement while the trap door 23 continues its tilting movement to discharge the article 17-supported by it. During this movement the arm 59 has engaged the cam face 91 of the latch member 80, thereby permitting the coin to drop into the coin receptacle. If the keys 22 be held in a depressed position the flange 53 effectively blocks any attempt to remove a second one of the vendable articles 17. If

new the key 22 be allowed to raise a short distance under the influence of spring 73, the latch member 80, now free of the'intiuence of a coin, will again attempt to assume its normal position so that the shoulder 90 will move beneath the end of arm 59. Thus it is impossible for the keys 22 to again be do pressed to their lowermost limit. 22 be released the spring 73 and plate 69 will again carry the various mechanisms to their normally closed and locked positions.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that it is impossible to twice actuate the trap door upon one insertion of a coin.

l i hat I claim is:

1. Tu a device of the class described the combination with a paii of cross members having an open way between them, of a trap door pivotally mounted at one side of the way and forming a. closure therefor, means for effecting movement of the trap door in one direction, spring means yieldingly resisting movement of the trap door a clamp plate pivotally mounted at the opposite side of the way and a flange on the clamp plate provided with a notch and a cam face. the edge of the trap door normally seating in the notch and adapted to ride upon the cam face of the flange for moving the clamp into the way.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with means having a way therein for receiving a column of vendable articles of a pivotally mounted trap door for normally supporting the lowermost one of the column of' vendable articles, yielding means for retaining the trap door in a closed position, means for -moviiig the trap door about its pivotal mounting for discharging the vendable article supported by said door, a clamp plate having an independent pivotal mounting adjacent the free edgeof the trap door and a cam member on the clamping plate operatively associated with the free edge of the trap door whereby the clamp is moved into clamping engagement with articles when the trap door is moved about its mounting.

In a device of the class described the combination of a pivotally mounted trap door, a spring actuated plate operatively connected to the trap door and normally retaining said door in a closed position, a clamp plate pivotally mounted adjacent the If the key trap door, and a cam on the clamp plate.

abutting the free edge of the trap door for effecting movement o'lthe clamp plate as the trap door is moved about its pivotal mountmg.

4. In a device of the class described the combination with a pivot-ally mounted trap door of an arm extending from the end of the trap door, a depending swinging latch member having an opening therein for receiving the arm, shoulders on the latch extending into the opening and normally disposed beneath the arm on the trap door and a finger carried by the latch member whereby the latch member may be moved for removing the shoulders from beneath the arm of the trap door for permitting movement of the trap door about its pivotal mounting.

5. In a device of the class described the combination with a pivotally mounted trap door of an arm projecting from an end of the trap door, a pair of swinging latch members having openings therein through which the arm of the trap door extends, a single pin providing independent pivotal mounting for the pair of latch members, shoulders on each of the latch members and extending from opposite sides ot the openings therein, the balance of the latches being such as to normally dispose the shoulder on one of the latch members beneath the arm and to normally dispose the shoulder on the other of the latch members clear of the arm and means carried by the first mentioned latch member by which said first mentioned member may be moved about its mounting for removing the shoulders on said member from beneath the arm, the second mentioned latch member being adapted to move about its mounting for disposing the shoulder thereon beneath the arm onlywhen the device is tilted to an abnormal position.

6. In a device of the class described the combination with a base member'having a way therein of a trap door pivotally mounted on the base and forming a closure forthe way therein, an arm extending from the end of the trap door and having therein a perforat-ion and a notch, a springholder plate mounted in the base for reciprocation in the direction of movement of the arm, an integral hook on the springholder plate and extending through the perforation in the arm for connecting the springholder plate andtrap door, the edge of the springholder plate adjacent the hook seating in the notch in the arm and a spring encircling a portion of the springholder plate and having its opposite ends in abutment with the base and springholder plate for yieldingly retaining the trap door 111 a closed position.

7. In a device of the class described thecombination with a base member having a way therein of a trap door pivotally mounted on the base and forming a closure for the way therein,an arm extending from the end gral hook on the springholder plate and extending through the perforation inthe arm for connecting the springholder plate and trap door, the edge of the springholder plate adjacent the hook seating in the notch in the arm, a spring encircling a portion of the springholder plate and having its opposite ends in abutment with the base and spring holder plate for yieldingly retaining the trap door in a closed position and means for depressing the trap door against the yielding resistance of the spring.

8. In a device of the class described the combination with a base member having a way therein of a trap door pivotally mounted on the base and forming a closure for the way therein, an arm extending from the end of the trap door and having therein a perforation and a notch, a springholder plate mounted in the base for reciprocation in the direction of movement of the arm, an integral hook on the springholder plate and extending through the perforation in the arm for connecting the springholder plate and trap door, the edge of the springholder plate adjacent the hook seating in the notch in the arm, a spring encircling a portion of the springholder plate and having its opposite ends in abutment with the base and springholder plate for yieldingly retaining the trap door in a closed position, means for depressing the trap door against the yielding resistance of the spring and a gravity positioned latching means for normallyloclc ing the arm against movement.

9. In a device of the class described the combination with means for providing a way of a trap door mounted for movement for opening and closing the way, an arm carried by the trap door, a latch member mounted for free swinging movement adjacent the arm, a shoulder on the latch member normally disposed beneath the arm for precluding movement thereof when the device assumes a normally upright position, the latch member and shoulder thereon being adapted to be swung sidewardly under the influence of gravity to remove the shoulder from the path of the arm when the device is tilted to one side, a second idler latch member mounted adjacent the first latch member, a shoulder and the second latch member normally disposed without the path of the arm when the device is'in its normally upright position, said second idler latch member being adapted to swing under the influence of gravity when the device is tilted to an abnormal position for disposing the shoulder thereon within the path of the arm whereby said arm is precluded from movement when the device is in said abnormal positiqn and.

means carried by the first mentioned latch member ageinst which pressure may be directed for removing the shoulder on said first mentioned latch member from thejpath .of the arm When the device is in its n o rmelly upright position, so that the arm and trap (iQQI may be permitted to move for pening the Wefy in the device.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 10 subsgerib'ed myname this twenty-third day of September 1925,

JOHN RIIKONEN. 

